The Course of True Love
by Juanita Snape
Summary: One shot about Hermione and Severus. It's good, i promise. Just read it. Rater pg13 for some cursing.


_Dear Journal,August 20_

_Well, I'm back! I know I haven't written in here for awhile now but so much has been going on! Let me tell you everything that's been going on!_

_Today is the day I am going to tell Harry. I have been dating him for four years now, and today is our fourth anniversary. I couldn't find a better day to tell him. I'm so excited and I hope that he will be happy and excited also. The last six months I have kept this from him, but I had no choice, I couldn't get his hopes up. It's common in our family for someone to have a miscarriage before they enter their third trimester, so I decided to wait until I was sure. That's right, I'm pregnant, and I am due November 27th. I'm having a beautiful baby boy and I couldn't be happier._

_I just hope Harry is as happy as I am and not mad at me for not telling him. I wouldn't have the time to tell him even if I wanted to, he seems to be out so often, but he's a Quidditch star, of course he's out. Everyone tells me that he's cheating, but why? I know my Harry, and I know he loves me just as much as I love him. I hope he finally proposes sometime._

_Ron finally got married to Luna last week and we all couldn't be happier for them. They have two sons, Eddie and Timmy, twins, born right after the wedding! They have the classic Weasley hair, but the soft look of their mother. I only wish that was me married. Not to Ron, of course, but to Harry. _

_It's seven and I'm supposed to meet Harry at the restaurant now. I'm so nervous, yet so excited! I hope he's happy, I know he has always wanted a family! I guess I'll just grab my stuff and be on my way! I'll let you know what happens!_

_Hermione_

XXXXXXX

Hermione closed her journal and put it away in her draw next to her bed and grabbed her card that was sitting on the bed. She checked one more time to make sure her red dress looked right and placed the charm to hide her pregnancy on. She than re-checked herself and with a POP she was gone and appeared in the front of some fancy restaurant in Hogsmeade.

Hermione searched out Harry and found him sitting with Ginny Weasley. –Odd, maybe they walked into each other here, or something.- Hermione thought, before walking over to them and greeting Harry with a hug and a kiss. She saw something flash through Ginny's eyes, but didn't think much of it.

"Hey, love! You're early!" Harry said, looking nervously at Ginny and then back to Hermione.

"I thought I'd come early, I have something I need to tell you!" Hermione said, excitedly.

"Oh, OK. Well, I need to tell you something also," Harry said, giving Ginny a hug before she walked out.

Hermione nodded and sat down at the table, ordering herself a drink and watched as Harry sat down. –He seems nervous about something!- Hermione thought, looking at Harry. She just bypassed it as normal date jitters, not really understanding why he'd have them with her.

After they got their drinks they placed their order for food and Hermione turned to Harry across the table.

"So, Harry, what do you need to tell me?" Hermione said, placing her hands on the table.

"Well-" Harry started but was interrupted by Ginny who had just walked back into the restaurant. –Damn this girl has no bloody timing!-

"Was the news exchanged yet? Did you tell her?" Ginny asked, looking between Harry and Hermione and then noticing that she just walked in on the conversation. –Damn-it I didn't want to be here when he told her!-

"Tell me what? Harry, tell me what?" Hermione said, looking from Harry to Ginny, confused.

"Hermione, I'm sorry, I truly am, but-" Harry said, stumbling over his words.

"Spit it out, Harry!" Hermione snapped; her hormones were really getting the best of her lately.

"I'm...I- I'm in l-love with G-Ginny," Harry stuttered.

"YOU'RE WHAT?!?" Hermione screamed.

"Hermione, please-" Harry started.

"Don't you 'please' me, Potter! How DARE you, on our four year anniversary? Honestly! You HAVE been cheating on me, haven't you?" Hermione said, jumping up from her chair, not noticing the card falling on the table.

"Hermione, I'm sorry! Please, just sit down and talk to me! Tell me what you needed to tell me!" Harry said, getting desperate because everyone was looking at them now.

"It doesn't matter now, Potter. Enjoy your dinner with 'Weasley'," Hermione spat out, walking out the door.

Harry than noticed the card on the table and picked it up. On the front of it, it said 'Happy Fourth Year Anniversary, Harry'. He smiled softly and then opened it, and the card fell out of his hands. "Oh, Hermione," Harry said, dropping his head into his hands.

"What is it, Harry?" Ginny asked, concerned.

Harry just handed Ginny the card and Ginny opened it. Inside was a picture of an ultrasound and underneath of it was a note to Harry.

_Harry-_

_Sorry I waited so long to tell you, but you are going to be a daddy! I'm due November 27th and I'm going to have a baby boy! Imagine that, another Potter boy running around. The last four years have been the best thing in my life! Thanks for giving me my life back after my parents died, and I will always love you. Happy 4th Anniversary, love!_

_Love always,_

_Hermione_

Ginny looked shocked. She had no idea what she was supposed to do about this. It was her fault Harry left Hermione and it was her fault Harry would probably never speak to Hermione again, or have a play in his child's life. She collapsed into the chair across from Harry and let the card fall to the floor, not even worrying about picking it up.

Harry sat with his head in his hands and cried. He'd just lost the best thing in his life, and the next to best thing in his life, Hermione and his child. As soon as the words came out of his mouth he regretted ever saying it, he knew it wasn't right and he knew he was hurting Hermione.

Every time he had looked in her eyes, he'd see the love she had for him, the warmth in her eyes made him feel like he was at home, that this was his family. When he said he had loved Ginny he watched the warmth fall from her eyes, he watched her happiness drain away, and he knew it was wrong, he knew he was wrong. He walked out of the restaurant, throwing some money at the waiter, and left, not even looking back at Ginny.

XXXXXXX

Hermione stormed out of the restaurant and started for Hogwarts. She decided that after five years of not being there, she'd like to visit the castle, and hopefully Severus too. They had become good friends during her seventh year and he had actually let her study under him to get the title of Potion Mistress. Once the two years were up they kept in touch but never visited each other, only letters were exchanged.

She stumbled up to the entrance doors and walked in, taking the charm off of herself, she was too tired to keep it on. She placed her hand on the small of her back and started to walk towards the dungeons to see if she could find Severus.

Once she got to his office she noticed he wasn't there and looked at the clock. It was eight thirty so he was probably either in the Great Hall or was scaring some poor kid in the hallways. She took down his wards, which were still set to notice her presence, and stepped into his private room. She looked around and noticed that nothing had changed at all; the over stuffed white couch was still sitting in front of the fire, on a dark green rug. The two over stuffed arm chairs, also white, were sitting across from each other with a table sitting between them.

She walked over and let herself get comfortable in one of the chairs as she gently rubber her hand over her abdomen lovingly. She than, and only than, let the tears roll down her cheeks, not even paying attention to the room, or her surroundings.

XXXXXXX

Severus was walking back from a meeting with the Headmaster and noticed his wards were taken down. He cautiously took out his wand and quietly entered his chambers, making sure to not make a sound. He looked around and that's when he saw her.

Hermione was sitting in one of his over stuffed chairs rubbing her abdomen, not even paying attention to anything around her. He knew something had to have happened for her to end up in his rooms and decided to watch her continue to rub her very pregnant belly.

"Hermione?" Severus asked.

XXXXXXX

"Hermione?"

Hermione heard it and jumped out of the chair looking at Severus apologetically.

"I'm...I-I'm so-sorry," Hermione stuttered.

Severus walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her. She had obviously changed the best of him and he was grateful for it, he was happy to be able to comfort someone, even if he only comforted her and no one else.

"What happened, Hermione?"

"It's Harry...he left me-" Hermione said, looking down.

"Why, love?" Severus asked.

"He left me for...Ginny. Do you believe it? He left me for my best-girl-friend!" She muttered, stepping back and rubbed her abdomen again.

"How far are you, Hermione?"

"Six months...I was going to tell him tonight, too." She said as she started to cry again. "It's common for the women in my family miscarry before six months, so I waited, to be sure. Then tonight when I got there, they were there, together. I thought nothing of it." She laughed bitterly. "I should have known better. I should have believed Luna and Lav when they told me he was probably cheating on me, no wonder he was out so much. He was with that bitch!

"Why? Why do I let it bother me? I love him, but obviously it isn't returned! Why did he have to tell me tonight, the night of our 4th year anniversary?" She asked, the tears coming down again.

Severus wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his warmth. He was furious at Potter and would rip him apart if he saw him any time soon. He figured Potter really didn't understand how lucky he was to have won this woman's heart; so many people were after it. She had so much going for her. She had the brains and the will power to do whatever she wanted. –It's time to talk to the Headmaster- he thought.

Hermione stood there crying into his arms, letting the warmth soothe her. She didn't want to return to her flat, knowing that Harry would either be there waiting for her to come home, or he would be there with Ginny. Just thinking about Harry and Ginny in her and Harry's flat made her laugh bitterly. She noticed the odd look Severus gave her, but she really didn't care to tell him what she was really thinking.

Once Severus got her tucked into his bed, he went in search of Albus.

XXXXXXX

Severus didn't get back until eleven that night and he gratefully got into his bed, staying on his side of the bed, and let himself drift off into sleep.

"_I love you, Severus," the voice said._

"_Who are you?" he asked._

"_If you can not answer that for yourself, you do not deserve to know the answer as of right now," the voice replied._

"_Tell me who you are!" he demanded._

"_Severus is that any way to treat a lady?" the voice answered, sweetly._

_Before he could get another reply off a figure started walking towards him. He could just make out the small petite figure walking towards him, the blur of the golden brown hair, and the look of love in those honey brown eyes. His eyes raked her body and noticed her rounded belly._

"_Hermione?" he asked._

"_Yes, Severus, it is I," the voice, now discovered to be Hermione, replied._

"_I love you, Hermione, I love you!"_

"_Severus, dear, you do not know what you are talking about. How can you love me? Potter can't even do that," she answered, sadly._

"_Potter is a bloody moron, love." He said, stepping closer to her._

"_I must go, Severus," she said, with a new sadness in her voice, as she started to walk away._

"_No! Hermione, stay with me!" he screamed, but she was already walking away and out of his sight. He just had no luck with women._

Severus awoke with a jolt. He felt a warm body pressed into his and noticed Hermione was snuggled into the warmth of his arms. –I must have been thinking of her when I went to sleep, and I created a dream state with us- he thought.

He was worried, he wasn't sure if anything was true or not. But they he remembered, dreams don't lie.

He sat there watching her for about twenty minutes before she woke up. He took the time to notice the way the sun shown on her hair and created a golden halo around her head. How her stomach softly jutted out, due to her pregnancy. Making her look even more mature than she already was. He loved this woman that was lying in his bed, he was just afraid to tell her this.

XXXXXXX

Hermione fluttered her eyes open and looked into Severus's eyes and smiled. She felt safe in his arms and had always felt a sense of safety with him.

"Severus?" Hermione asked, softly.

"Yes?" he answered, rubbing her abdomen absent mindedly.

"Where did you go last night?"

"To talk to Albus, I assumed you didn't want to return home so I set up a room off of my quarters for you, I figured it would be best. I could help you with the baby, and I could also keep Potter away if you didn't want to see him."

"You would do that for me, Severus?" Hermione asked, watching him rub her stomach.

"Mya, I would do anything to help you."

Hermione blushed, "Sorry, Severus, I just never thought about where I would live now. I knew I could never return to the flat me and Harry shared, I kind of just figured I would go back home to London."

Severus stopped moving his hand and looked in her eyes softly. "I love you, Mya. You may not think me capable to love, but I do. I want to help you, even if you don't love me. You need help and I am here to help you, no matter what. Also, Remus and Albus want to help to. Will you let them? Will you let me?"

Hermione smiled and covered his hand with hers. "Of course I will let you help, Albus and Remus too. Who else am I going to find suitable to be a godfather? Where else am I going to find someone to be a father figure?"

"My dear, I certainly hope you do not plan on Albus being a godfather, that child of yours would be spoiled and on a sugar high for the most of its life," Severus said.

"Severus Snape, I dare say, you are right. I wasn't thinking of Albus anyway. Remus as the godfather-"

"Do not tell me you want Albus to be the father figure!"

"No, silly, you."

"Me?!?" Severus said, sitting up.

"Why not you? If you can love me, why can't you love my child? I know you hate Potter, but can you really detest my child?" she asked, sitting next to him.

"Of course not, dear, I will love your child as much as I love you. I will be privileged to be your child's father," Severus said, kissing Hermione's lips softly.

Hermione just smiled and pulled Severus back for a deeper kiss when he tried to pull back. She leaned into his ear, "I love you too, Severus. I just never told you, I was in love with Harry too, and I didn't think you would ever love me back. I took the easy way out and choose the person who I knew loved me back. I was a scared and I was weak. I should have asked you. I'm sorry."

Severus pulled back with a surprised look on his face. "Do you mean that, Mya?"

"Of course I do, Severus. Would I lie, to you?"

"No, Mya, you wouldn't. I love you, with all of my heart," Severus said, kissing her lightly.

Hermione smiled and got out of bed. "I don't know about you, but I'm hungry!"

Severus chuckled as he got up and got ready to go eat and Hermione charmed her stomach to hide her pregnancy.

XXXXXXX

Hermione walked into the Great Hall and noticed how empty it looked with no students and only half of the staff there. Albus was sitting in his chair and Remus was sitting next to him. Sirius was sitting on the other side of Albus, and all three were having a very important conversation. When they saw Hermione and Severus come in they all looked up and stopped talking.

"Hello, Hermione," Albus said.

"Hello, Headmaster," Hermione answered.

"It's Albus, my dear child. Have a seat," Albus said, motioning to the seat across from him, with a movement of his hand two chairs appeared across from him, Remus and Sirius.

Sirius gave Severus and Hermione both a dirty look. He then turned to Hermione and said the only thing that came to mind, "So, is this slimy bastard the reason for you leaving my godson? For him showing up on my door step crying his eyes out because his girlfriend left him? Tell me, Hermione, is this bastard the reason for you being a bitch?"

"No, Sirius he had nothing to do with why I chose to leave your fucking godson!" Hermione spat back.

Sirius got up, his face turning red, "Then tell me, Hermione! Why did you leave him? There better be a damn good reason too!"

"Sirius it is none of your god damned business why I left him! If he didn't tell you why, then why should I?" Hermione screamed, her eyes filling with tears. Hermione was standing across the table looking up to a very angry looking Sirius. Remus, Albus and Severus just sat down watching the scene fall out.

"Damn it Hermione, why are you being a bitch?!"

"Sirius you don't know a thing about this, so I would shut that fucking mouth of yours before I shut it for you!"

"I want to know why I have a depressed Harry in my quarters!"

Hermione's face turned white, "He's here?"

"Yeah, I do live here Hermione!"

"I-I have t-to go, I ca-cant stay he-here!" Hermione stuttered backing up towards the exit.

"No need to leave Hermione. I already know you're here," Harry said from behind her.

"Harry! Go away, leave me alone!" Hermione said turning around.

"Hermione, are you really? I want to see you..." Harry said as he walked towards her.

"How did you know? I didn't tell you..."

"You left the card, 'Mione."

"Don't call me that, you bastard."

"Hermione, listen to m-"

"Shut the hell up Harry! I want nothing to do with you! You want to see? Here I'll show you, because you are NEVER going to see it again!" Hermione said, waving her hand and her pregnancy was shown again, causing Sirius and Harry to gasp.

"Hermione, I'm sorry! Please!" Harry said, begging now.

"No, Harry. I can't forgive you, you hurt me," she said, her eyes filling with tears again.

"Please!" he pleaded again.

"No!"

"Hermione, I love you!"

"How long were you with her, Harry? How long were you fucking with Ginny!?" Hermione screamed, causing Remus and Sirius to both gasp now.

"A year..." Harry mumbled.

"How long, I didn't hear you."

"A year," he screamed.

"Get the hell out of my site Harry. I want nothing to do with you. I don't want you near me, EVER!" she said, walking towards him.

"Please-" but he was silenced with a slap across the face.

"Go home, Harry. Send my stuff here, I am staying here."

Harry nodded and left without another word.

Sirius got up and walked around the table, wrapping Hermione into a hug. Hermione automatically relaxed into his hug and started to sob uncontrollably. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I didn't know the story."

Hermione straightened up and moved away. "It's ok, Sirius, let's eat. I'm hungry, I AM eating for two, you know."

Sirius laughed, pulled Hermione's chair out, and she sat down. Severus rested his hand on Hermione's thigh and squeezed it for support. Hermione just smiled and filled up her plate with pickles, sandwiches and some ketchup.

"I do believe congratulations are in order," Albus said, raising his glass for a toast.

"I do believe you are right, Albus. Cheers to my new life and my new child," Hermione said, clicking her glass against Albus's.

XXXXXXX

-2 months later-

"Hermione, the nursery is ready!" Severus yelled out to where she was sitting by the fire.

Hermione got up and walked over to where Severus, Remus and Sirius were standing. She looked into the room and gasped. The room was a soft blue with a phoniex on the wall and clouds that moved on the ceiling. Hermione looked in the crib and found a darker blue bed set with a griffin and snake playing on the blanket. A dresser was against the wall by the closet and there was a rocking chair by the crib, with a light next to it. Hermione turned around saw a painting of a pregnant Hermione, Severus, Remus and Sirius on the wall by the dresser. Hermione turned around and smiled at the three of them.

"What would I do with out you three men in my life?" Hermione asked, giving each of them a hug.

"Have none?" Sirius said, kissing Hermione on the forehead.

Hermione chuckled, "Why the painting?"

"Well, we wanted something to remember all of us getting along. We really didn't think we would get along again and we feel like we needed to do something so we could always remember this, and remember each other. Also so your son could know what we looked like when we were very sexy looking," Remus said, after he gave Hermione a hug.

"Well, I don't know about you, old men, but I most certainly will always be sexy looking," she said, causing a chuckle out of everyone.

Hermione turned to Severus and he got a very serious look on his face. "Severus?"

"Hermione, I love you, with my whole heart. I know you have been through a lot and I know you probably aren't ready for this but," Severus said, pulling a box out of his pocket, "will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

"Yes, Severus, I would. I love you, too," Hermione said, flinging herself at Severus and pulling him into a kiss.

XXXXXXX

-1 month later-

"Get the hell away from me you bloody bastard!" Hermione screamed at Severus as another contraction tore through her body.

"Poppy, is this normal?" Severus asked the mediwitch.

"Yes, Severus, perfectly normal, I assure you. Now be a dear, and hold her hand, she is almost fully dialated."

At that minute Remus, Sirius, Harry, Ron and Ginny walked into the room. Hermione looked towards the door and she started getting angrier. "REMUS LUPIN! SIRIUS BLACK! GET THOSE ASSHOLES OUT OF THIS ROOM NOW!"

Severus through a dirty look as Ginny and Harry turned around and left the room. Ron soon left, not wanting to deal with an extremely angry Hermione, as she screamed out in pain again.

"Poppy I want this child out of me, NOW!" Hermione screamed at Poppy.

"My dear, calm down. This is going to hurt but I assure you it will be quick-"

"I don't bloody care, get it out, NOW!" Hermione screamed, interrupting her.

"Alright, dear, when I tell you to push you are going to lean forward and push. When the child comes out I will hand him to you and then I will deliver the after birth. After that I will fix you up with some magic and you will be a bit sore, but I assure you that you will be fully healed. Are you ready, dear?" Poppy asked her.

"YES!"

"Severus, climb in behind her and Remus and Sirius each take a side," Poppy said.

Each man complied and the delivery began. Twenty minutes later a screaming baby could be heard and a very happy mother who screamed in happiness.

Hermione held her child as Poppy fixed her up and Severus still sat behind her.

"What is his name, dear?" Poppy asked.

"Anthony James Gra-"

"Snape," Severus cut her off.

Hermione gasped, "Are you sure, Severus?"

Severus smiled and kissed her softly. "I am very sure, my dear."

"Anthony James Snape," Hermione said.

XXXXXXX

-7 months later-

"I, Hermione Granger, do take Severus Snape to be my awfully wedded husband, to have to hold in sickness and in health."

"I, Severus Snape, do take Hermione Granger to be my awfully wedded wife, to have to hold in sickness and in health."

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride," Albus said. Severus and Hermione smiled at each other and Severus pulled Hermione into a kiss that took her breath away.

"I now bring you Hermione and Severus Snape," Albus said, turning to the audience who clapped and cheered as the two walked down the aisle.

Harry and Ginny were standing in the back of the Great Hall and walked up to Hermione as the walked towards the door. "Hermione, I know you are mad, and I know you hate us right now, but I'm sorry and I wish you both the best of luck," Harry said.

Hermione smiled, wrapped them both in a hug, "Thank you, and I wish you both the best of luck. I now know where I should have been in the first place. Thank you, Harry, for Anthony but also, thank you for making me face my fear and returning to Severus."

Harry smiled and wrapped Hermione in a hug again. "Take care of Anthony, Hermione, but please let him know I am his father and I do love him, even if he won't know me as dad."

"Sure, Harry, I never planned on keeping the secret of you being the father of him. I think he would notice if he didn't look like Severus. Take care, you two, OK?" Hermione said, pulling away from Harry.

They both nodded and walked away to the reception.

That night Severus and Hermione conceived their very first child of their own.

XXXXXXX

-epilogue, 10 years later-

"Mum!" Anthony screamed, "Meg's at it again!"

"Megan! Leave your brother alone!" Hermione screamed to her children.

"It was Samuel, I swear!" Megan screamed back.

Hermione walked into the next room to find her 10 year old son Anthony with bright pink hair, her 8 year daughter, Megan reading _Hogwarts A History_, her 6 year old son, Samuel, sitting in the corner eating a box of cookies, and her 4 year old twin sons, Alex and Tommy, hiding behind the couch laughing.

"Alex! Tommy! Get over here, now!" Hermione said.

The two boys rushed over to their mother and looked up guiltily, "Yes, mum?"

"Did you two do this to your brother?"

The twins nodded.

"Fix it, now!" Hermione demanded.

The twins turned to their brother, fixed his hair and turned back to their mother, who was pointing to their room. They nodded and walked to their room to play with something else.

"Ant, where is Abby?" Hermione asked.

"I'm not sure mum, did you ask dad?" Anthony said, running his hands through his sloppy black hair.

"What you sister and brothers, I will be right back." Hermione said, walking out of the room and into Severus's office. She heard him teaching, and knew he would be mad for interrupting him, but she needed to know where her other child was.

"Severus, dear, I'm sorry for interrupting, but have you seen Abby?" Hermione asked her husband who was standing in the front of the classroom.

Severus smiled and pointed to his desk where a two year old child was sitting on top playing with her cat. Hermione sighed in relief and took Abby back to their rooms.

Later that night, Severus and Hermione were lying in bed when Hermione broke the news.

"Severus, I'm having twin girls."

Severus gasped and then smiled, kissing Hermione on the lips but they were interrupted when there was a soft knocking at the door.

"Come in," Severus said.

"Dad? Mum? The storm's scaring me, can I sleep with you?" Abby asked.

"Sure, honey," Hermione said, patting the bed.

10 minutes later, Anthony, Megan, Alex and Tommy followed Abby.

"Hermione?" Severus said.

"Yes?"

"I'm glad you made me get that big bed."

XXXXXXX

A/N

Well, I worked a long on this and I got sick of it sitting on my computer so I finally just finished it today. It's a one shot, and I hope you liked it!

The wedding lines, I don't know if they're right, but they sounded ok to me.

The children:

Anthony 10

Megan 8

Samuel 6

Alex and Tommy 4

Abby 2

Twin girls...not born

Read and review!


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